Knocking Some Sense Into the Doctor
by TenTooInTheTARDIS
Summary: After the girl in the fireplace shakes things up, the TARDIS decides she needs to get some help from an old friend to knock sense back into the Doctor.


Mickey Smith glared at the back of the Doctor's head, which was still staring off in to the distance mournfully. He was acting like a right twat and someone should tell him so. Rose wouldn't, she was too hurt herself. If Mickey said anything, the Doctor would snap at him and brush him off. Mickey sighed, contemplating what he should do. Rose was upset, she wasn't taking this whole thing very well. He figured she needed some space from the Doctor, but he knew she wouldn't tell _him_ that.

"Oi Doctor," he said to the back of the alien's head. The Doctor grunted, signaling that he was listening.

"Do you think we could go back to the Powell Estates for a bit?" Mickey asked, still glaring. The Doctor turned around.

"Already too much for you to handle, Mickety-Mick?" he asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"Yeah, whatever, can we go or not?" he snapped. The Doctor looked surprised at Mickey's tone.

"I'll set the coordinates…" he muttered, standing up and walking to the console. Mickey couldn't help but notice the slump in his shoulders and it made him glare harder. The alien twat was pouting over a girl he'd known for a few hours. Rose deserved better. He couldn't tell her that without getting a Tyler slap though, so he kept it to himself.

"I'll go get Rose," Mickey said, stalking off.

RTRTRTRTRTRTRTRT

Rose was laying on her bed, staring at the ceiling. Normally after an adventure, she and the Doctor would veg out in the library, basking in each other's presence and the fact that they were both alive. It wasn't like that today. He was pining after Madame De Pompadour and Rose was pining after the Doctor. Which was ridiculous, of course. The Doctor was right here, sulking in the console room. Sulking after that stupid, beautiful, brilliant, classy woman. Rose huffed and turned over on to her stomach, resting her head on her crossed arms. She just needed some space from him, the great idiot that he was.

Rose jumped at the knock on her door, heart quickening at the thought of the Doctor coming to check on her. She sat up, calling for the person on the other side of the door to come in. She couldn't help the way her shoulders slumped at the sight of Mickey instead of the Doctor. He noticed, she could see it in his eyes, but didn't comment on it. He walked over to sit on the bed next to her.

"I asked the Doctor to take us home for a bit," he said quietly, looking at the floor.

"Oh," she said, leaning in to him. He wrapped an arm around her.

"You alright, babe?" he asked, leaning his cheek on top of her head. She didn't say anything. He didn't expect her to. They jerked as the TARDIS landed, jostling the two of them.

"Let's go see Jackie, yeah? She'll make us a cuppa and take your mind off it." Rose nodded, standing up.

They walked down the corridor in silence, arriving in the console room quickly.

"We're going see Jackie, see you later," Mickey said shortly, pulling Rose out of the TARDIS before she had the chance to look at the Doctor for too long.

As they stepped out in to the bright sunlight, they both paused. An eerily familiar sound was coming from a few blocks away.

"Rose, do you hear-" Mickey started,

"TARDIS," she finished, brows furrowed.

"Let's go see what's goin' on," he insisted, starting toward the sound.

"Hang on, Micks, I don't know if that's a good idea… Paradoxes are something I try to avoid, you know," Rose said, biting her bottom lip.

"C'mon! Somethin' strange is going on here," he said, still walking toward the sound. Rose gave their TARDIS one last glance before jogging after Mickey.

"Hang on!" she called, catching up to him.

RTRTRTRTRTRTRTRTRTRTRT

The Doctor stepped out of his TARDIS, glancing around suspiciously. Why had the TARDIS taken him here? He'd been in the vortex, tinkering whilst Rose slept. Suddenly, he was pulled out of the vortex and to the Powell Estates. He was getting a very irritated, scolding vibe from the TARDIS and he could tell it was vaguely directed at him. He had no idea why, he'd done nothing wrong. He adjusted his leather jacket and closed the door behind him. He had a strange feeling that Rose should sit (or sleep) this one out. He thought he probably got that feeling from the TARDIS too.

He looked around, at a loss. He didn't know why he was here and had no clue where to start.

"Doctor?" he heard from a familiar voice. His face crinkled in confusion as he turned toward the sound. The girl who he was positive was sleeping aboard the TARDIS was jogging toward him. With her was her idiot boyfriend.

"Rose? What are you doing there?" he asked. She didn't answer, just ran straight for him. He opened his arms to her instinctively. She snuggled in to him immediately, wrapping her arms around him and burrowing her face into his chest. He hugged her tightly, looking at Mickey in question. Something was wrong here.

"Doctor," she whispered, hugging him closer.

"Rose? What's going on? What's wrong?" he asked. Rose shook her head against him, staying silent.

"Mickey," the Doctor said, locking eyes with him. Mickey sighed, shifting his shoulders nervously.

"What are you doin' here anyway?" Mickey asked instead of giving the Doctor what he wanted.

"The old girl pulled me out of the vortex to here," he said, rubbing Rose's back soothingly.

"Where am I? I mean- where is your Rose?" Rose asked, still not lifting her head.

"Sleeping in your room, it was late in her timeline when I got dragged here. I don't think the TARDIS wanted her to see this," he said, looking down at the top of her head. Mickey nodded in understanding.

"So, _what is going on here?_" he demanded again. So Mickey Smith started to tell the story of the girl in the fireplace (and the git of an alien who knew her for a few hours and abandoned his friends for her).

RTRTRTRTRTRTRTRTRTRT

"And he's pining after her right now? Has he even asked how you feel? If you two are alright after nearly dying today?" the Doctor asked, sounding outraged. His eyes were icy and furious.

"No, just keeps readin' that stupid letter," Rose said, looking down at her shoes.

"Usually me an' him veg out together after a day like this, but he hasn't even looked at me since he found out that she died. He's actin, like-" Rose cut herself off, scoffing.

"Like what?" he asked softly.

"Look, I get it. She's refined and classy and brilliant and beautiful. I grew up on the estates and-" it was the Doctor who cut her off this time.

"Rose Tyler, shut up right now," he said lowly, dangerously. Somehow his future self had Rose doubting herself. He had her doubting the depth of his feelings for her. He knew he hadn't lost the feelings that he held now during the regeneration, it wasn't possible. Rose Tyler was the most amazing creature in all of creation and she should damn well never be forced to doubt that. He was going to have a little chat with this new self of his. He'd have to wipe his own memory after, but his future self would remember it, and that's what mattered.

"Come on, you two. I'm going to have a little talk with myself."

"Y'know, with anyone other than him, that'd sound insane," Mickey said with a smirk. Rose chuckled a little as the Doctor rolled his eyes. He grabbed Rose's hand and told them to take him to their TARDIS.

RTRTRTRTRTRTRTRTRT

The Doctor in pinstripes jumped as the door to the TARDIS flew open. The Doctor in leather stalked down the ramp, glaring at the pretty-boy.

"_Really?_" he asked (almost whined). Rose and Mickey nodded.

"You always did have an eye for the pretty ones," he muttered, turning around to look at his future self again. Rose huffed.

"Now for you," he said. The pinstriped man looked incredibly confused, even more so when the man in leather came closer, looking hard at him. He got too close for comfort and the Doctor in the suit leaned back.

Suddenly, the Doctor in the leather jacket reared back and swung, landing a hard punch to the other man's jaw. His head snapped back, hand coming up reflexively to cradle the new injury.

"Rose, Mickey, why don't you give the two of us a second? I need some time alone with myself."

"But-" Rose started. He turned his head to look at her.

"Don't worry, I won't leave without telling you goodbye," he promised. Rose sighed and nodded, she and Mickey heading to their rooms.

Once he was sure they were out of earshot, he rounded on his future self again.

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing?" he growled, his face very close to the other Doctor's. He noticed that he'd given the man a small cut on his lip as well as a satisfying-looking bruise where his fist had landed on his jaw.

"What is going on here?" the future Doctor demanded, stepping back from his past self.

"Let me tell you. Rose Tyler is crushed, Mickey Smith is comforting her, and the TARDIS is absolutely _appalled_ at you," the past Doctor said.

"_What are you talking about?_"

"You sulking after a woman who you knew for a few hours! You _leaving Rose and Mickey behind with no foreseeable way back to them _for this woman! You making Rose Tyler doubt that she is the best thing that has ever happened to us in all our lives! Maybe that's what I'm talking about," he yelled, stepping close again.

"I- what? Rose is… she's doubting…? How could she ever doubt what she means to us?" he asked, eyes flooded with confusion.

"I don't know, I know _I _would never put her in that position. Especially someone that I don't even know," the Doctor in leather said, eyes hard.

"I didn't mean to make Rose upset. I would _never _mean to upset her."

"It doesn't matter what you meant to do. What matters is that you did, and now our Rose is doubting herself and doubting us. So do I need to punch you again, or do you think you'd like to make this up to her?" the past Doctor asked. He could see that his future self was appalled for what he'd done.

"I-I-I- obviously I want to make up with Rose," he stuttered out, swallowing hard. His hand was tugging at his right ear nervously. He closed his eyes, probably asked the TARDIS to let Rose know she should come back to the console room. In a few minutes, both she and Mickey were back. The Doctor in leather walked over to them, clapping Mickey on the shoulder.

"Good to see you, Rickey," he said with a wink. Mickey chuckled.

"You too, boss," Mickey said, smiling at him.

"Rose, it's time for me to go now," he said turning to look at her. He wrapped her up in a hug.

"I'm an idiot. Don't ever doubt what you mean to me, Rose Tyler," he whispered, kissing her cheek.

"I'm gonna miss you," she whispered back, hugging him tight. After a moment, they pulled back and the Doctor made his way to the door. He sent his future self a significant look, lifting an eyebrow.

"Rose?" the Doctor in pinstripes asked hesitantly. Rose nodded, encouraging him to continue. He rushed over to her, hugging her tightly.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," he said. He looked at Mickey, letting him know that the apology was for him too.

"Do you want to go to the library and read with me?" he asked softly in her ear, pleadingly. Rose pulled back, looking at him hard. He was genuine, she could tell. She could read him like a book, always.

"Please, Rose," he said, arms still around her, eyes locked with hers. She nodded, a hesitant smile crossing her face. A relieved grin spread across his. His arms unwound from around her and he took her hand, leading her toward the library. Mickey waved at the younger Doctor, heading toward the video game room.

The Doctor in leather smiled, exiting the TARDIS. His future self was right back where he belonged, wrapped around Rose Tyler's finger.


End file.
